Soft Hands, Soft Voice

Soft Hands, Soft Voice

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Liner Notes:

This song had its origin this morning from something I read somewhere, on Twitter or Facebook--somebody made some kind of quote along the lines of "Soft hands for horses, soft voice for women, blah blah blah..." I've looked for it since and can't find the quote. (I did find out that "soft hands" is a term that equestrians use and that does indeed refer to holding the reins loosely. Hence the horse-theme to the song).

So the title came from that "Soft Hands, Soft Voice", with the second line of the chorus coming quickly after. And then I went to work. I originally thought I might write a song for a woman to sing (and the chorus is kind of like that) but since it's supposed to be a lesson for a little boy, I went with the way I did.

There's some kind of wrong chord, if I'm not mistaken, at around the 2 minute mark. Sorry. I don't have time to fix it, because I've got to join my kids and grandkid for supper.

I hope you enjoy the song.

Lyrics:

SOFT HANDS, SOFT VOICE

Words & Music
By
Jerry Pettit

When I was just a little man,
I was out playin' kick the can.
My mama waved me to her side,
And said we should go for a ride.
I started walking to the car.
She laughed before I went too far,
And pointed over to a tree:
A brand new pony just for me.

She gave a boost up to its back.
I grabbed the reins, pulled all the slack.
The pony whinnied and complained.
And Mama said, "Loosen them reins!"
She said, "A pony's like a girl.
You want to take it for a whirl,
You'll have to learn just what she needs--
That gentle treatment's what succeeds.

CHORUS:
SOFT HANDS, SOFT VOICE.
That's what we want from all our boys.
You've got to give a little slack,
To have control around the track.
And don't you shout and don't you prattle;
If you want more time in the saddle.
You have to learn, so I'll explain.
You want to loosely hold them reins.

GUITAR SOLO

Now I've grown up to be a man.
I ride them ponies when I can.
I've learned from Mama how to be,
To keep a woman close to me.
You've got to sweetly hold them close,
But not too tight or "Adios!"
And often whisper in their ear
The gentle things they want to hear.

CHORUS:
SOFT HANDS, SOFT VOICE.
That's what we want from all our boys.
You've got to give a little slack,
To have control around the track.
And don't you shout and don't you prattle;
If you want more time in the saddle.
You have to learn, so I'll explain.
You want to loosely hold them reins.

Comments

your country songs remind me of the bobby goldsboro and glen campbell days. nice dramatic monolouge here. it wouldnt work with a female vocalist, though. at least my mom never gave me these kind of instructions. my dad did, though.

A very nice metaphor very sweetly told. I've read/heard many of your songs and you have a deft way with rhymes. You use common language in a natural way, and your rhymes never seem trite. (If I hear love/above or brain/insane any more often, I'll scream.) Much has to do, I think, also with your smooth unforced meter. And then every so often you put in something brilliant like: You've got to sweetly hold them close, But not too tight or "Adios!" I love that one.